We are deeply saddened to learn that Edouard Le Maistre, AA Secretary for almost 40 years from 1967 until 2006, has passed away.
A real character, Edouard will be remembered by many generations of students, staff and members as a true champion of the AA – a gentle giant who cared deeply for the school and everyone in and around it. He played a crucial role in bridging the gap between the School Community and AA Council, the AA’s governing body, seeing us through some difficult times. He was at the AA when students fought for the school to remain independent from the proposed merger with Imperial College, as a result of which the whole of Council resigned. He was famously fired one day and re-employed the next. He oversaw the election of five AA Directors (formerly AA Chairmen) and 24 AA Presidents.
The position of AA Secretary encompassed three roles – that of Company Secretary, or clerk to the Board of AA Directors; that of Secretary to the Trustees of the AA charity; and that of Secretary to the Association of Members. It was the latter role that Edouard embraced most passionately, and for which thousands will remember him fondly. Edouard made a difference by being there day-to-day as a reassuring voice and a defender of the AA’s unique democratic structure and tradition. If the AA was once a place where students could light firework displays on the Library terrace, this is because there was someone who understood and embraced the school’s idiosyncrasies, and provided reassurances to Council and others when needed. An oral history of his memories of the AA was recorded when he retired and is available in the AA Archives. In recognition of his outstanding contribution, he was awarded an Honorary AA Diploma on retirement.
The tiny office he occupied became chock-a-block with towering piles of papers, files, books and boxes over the years, like the set for a Dickensian film. If someone asked for a report, he would stretch his arm, slide his index finger down the edge of a chosen pile and, more often than not, pull the precise report out as if by magic. He always made time for whoever turned up at his door, catching up with Council minutes and reports well after dark, and was often the last person to leave the building.
Born into a traditional farming family in Jersey in 1939, where the name Edouard Le Maistre can be traced back from one generation to another for hundreds of years, Edouard trained as a church missionary to escape farming life and found himself in London in the swinging sixties. He was 27 years old when he entered Bedford Square in January 1967 as an assistant Secretary, and he dedicated the rest of his working life to the AA. He was, however, proud of his Channel Islands roots, was fluent in Norman French and a keen boules player, and became Chairman of the Jersey Society in London.
Edouard died peacefully in hospital on Saturday 22 October 2022, surrounded by his family. He is survived by his wife Jenny, his son Philip and daughter Catherine, and two young grandchildren who were the joy of his life in recent years.
He will be dearly missed.
Tributes to Edouard have been pouring in since the announcement of his passing. Below is a selection of those we have received so far:
John Pringle, AA President 1993–95:
‘I am so sorry to hear this. I worked so closely with Edouard when I was President and afterwards when I was (and still am) a trustee for the Michael Ventris Trust – he was always an amazing fount of AA knowledge going back so many years, which was invaluable to us all. He was so knowledgeable about AA history and the AA really owes him a debt.’
Michael Foster, AA President 1989–91:
‘He was a good friend during sometimes difficult and turbulent times when I was AA President. We also had our differences, sometimes extreme, but we still managed to keep going in the right direction working together. He was at the AA for so long and knew so many people that there will be a sadness at the news of his death from many quarters. At any gathering his height dominated the room from a long distance away and so you always knew you were in the right place!’
Catherine du Toit, AA President from 2022:
‘I am deeply saddened to hear this news. Edouard was a remarkable presence in the school, as kind to me as a student as he was gracious last time I saw him at the President's lunch before the pandemic.’
Belinda Flaherty, AA Registrar:
‘Dearest Edouard, such a fantastic character who dedicated his working life to the AA and was loved by all of us.’
You can send tributes, or messages of condolence to be forwarded the family, to alex@aaschool.ac.uk.